Filing device



June 19, 1928.

. H. FREY FILING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed March 17,1927

June 19, 1928. 1,674,359

H. FREY FILING DEVICE Filed March 17, 1927 2 Shegts-Sheet 2 PatentedJune 19, 1923.

HENRY FREY, or HAVANA, rumors.

FILING DEVICE.

Application filed March 17, 1927.

This invention rel-atesto improvements in filing. devices, andparticularly to a filing device for holding papers, letters, currency,etc., the object of the invention being to provide a filing device whichis simple of construction and reliable and eficient in use, which isinstantly adjustable to hold a large or small number of sheets, whichwill securely hold in place a single sheet as Well as a large number orshee's, and which allows the sheets to be instantly released withouttrouble or inconvenience.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination. andarrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is aperspective view of one form of filing device embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the same. I

Figure 3-is a perspective view of one of the followers or clampingmembers.

' Figure 4' is a side elevation of a form of filing device for clampingpapers against a baseboard." I

Figure '5 is a perspective view of thede vice shown in Figure 4. v i IFigure 6 is a view of a modified form af follower. Figure 7 is a sectionon line 7''? of'Figure 6'. .Figure 8 .is a view of another modified formof follower;

Figure 9 is a sec tion on line 9+9 of Figure 8. I

In the practical embodiment of my invention as shown in Figures 1 to 3,inclusive,

I provide a frame structure comprising a base or backing 1 carryingguide rods 2 on which a pair oflfollowers or clamping members 3 are'slidably and tiltably mounted. In

this form of' the-invention the sheets to be filed are disposedvertically and are clamped between the followers 3. The frame struc turehere shown, which includes the base or backing 1, ismade of sheet metaland embodi'es'end wallsilrising from the end edges of the base orbacking 1 and between which Serial No. 176,062. I

end edges of which the walls 4 project up} wardly so as to dispose therods-2 above and at a prescribed level with respect to the base.Disposed on the outer side of and parallel with the walls i are walls 5con-' nected at their upper edges with the walls l by horizontalcrosswall's 6, thus providing a channeled end wall construction. Fittedin and gripped by these channeled'walls are supporting strips 7 of felt,rubber or other suitable soft material which project at their 7 loweredges below the plane of the base orbacking 1. These strips providesupporting backing 1 and channeled end walls may be of unitaryconstruction-or formed ofa single piece of sheet metal, the'r'od's 2, inaddition to serving as guides, also connecting and r'e inforeing thewalls 1 sothata staunch and durable construction is produced. An'openframe of this type may be employed for filing purposes in conjunctionwith'the fol lowers-3, or this frame may form the bottom of a suitableenclosing case, if desired.

Each follower 3' ispreferably made of spring sheet metal bent into theshape disclosed, and comprises a lower guide portion 8, which isnormallyvertically disposed andis straight in a vertical direction, astraight, vertical elampingportion 9, aportion 10 connecting theportions 8and- 9,a-ndanvupper free end portion 11 forming a finger gripor manipulating portion; The portion 8 is provided with openings 12 forthe reception and passage of tfhe'rods 2", said openings slightlyexceeding the rods in diameter so that the follower may slide freely"and tilt forwardly or rearwardly to specified de' grees on the rods. isdisposed ina vertical plane parallel with but offset inwardly from theplane of th'e guide portion 8, and is connected at its lower edge withthe guideportion by the obliquely arranged connecting portion 1 0, whichforms The clamping portion 9 the clamping portions 9 may spread to widedegrees to permitof the insertion of a large number of sheets betweenthem when the guideportions are arranged any specified distance apart,the spreading motion of the clamping portions 9, permitted by theyielding of the connecting portions 10, causing the latter to be placedunder more or less spring tension, whereby the portions 9 are' caused inturn to bear with considerable I yielding spring pressure force on thesheets to hold themzsecurely clamped. The diverging relationship of thefinger piece 11 not only allows the upper edges of the sheets to berelatively free so that .the portions of the sheets, above the clampingline, may be inspected under many conditions without a full releasingmotion of the follower, but also provide for the ready and convenientmanipulation of these members of the followersfor follower adjustingactions. The guide portion of each follower is provided at its loweredge with a series of three inwardly projecting flanges l3 and 13,forming a pair of end spring tongues and a central spring tongue. .Theend spring tongues 18 extend inwardly and upwardly at an oblique angleand are arranged to bear at their free edges against the undersides ofthe rods 2 to in stitute a spring binding pressure thereon during a clanping action of the follower, while the tongue 13 projects inwardly anddownwardly at an angle and forms a stop for engagement with the base orbacking 1 to limit the inward and downward tilting movementof thefollower when not under are placed between the two followers 3 will beclamped. When the followers are V poses arranged in close relationshipand one or more sheets are disposed between them, the portions. 9 willbe disposed either in a vertical position or at slight outward relativeangles to the vertical and each follower will be so arranged that itstongues 13 will engagethe rods 2 and hold the followers from casualoutward sliding movement. As the number of sheets is increased, and theportions 9 of the two followers are accordingly spread to greaterdegrees apart, the guide portions 8 will be tilted outwardly and thetongues 13 caused to bear with greater spring pressure on the rods 2,while the connecting portions 10 will also be moved outwardly and placedunder tension or stress, whereby the sheets will be firmly clamped whileat the same time the guide portions of the followers will be placedunder torsion stress so that they will be frictionally bound against therods with great force, rendering it impossible for the followers to beaccidentally disengaged and release the sheets. To disengage thefollowers for adjustment, in or-' der to effect a release of the sheets,it is necessary only to press inwardly on the finger portions 11,whereupon these portions will shown employing a single follower, or

clamping member which is vertically movable and designed to clamp thesheets horizontally against the base or backing. The base or backing 1here shown may be made of either wood or metal, and the guide rods 2here shown extend upwardly perpendicularly to the base and are formedby'the sides of an arched rod of wire. The single follower here shown isof the construction previously described and its guide portion ismounted to slidevertically on the guides 2 while its clamping portion isarranged to face the baseor backing 1%. It will be obvious that in thisconstruction the follower is vertically adjustable and tiltable on theguide rodsQ for clamping and releasing purposes. In order to hold thisfollower at any desired point of adjustment or elevation when free fromengagement with end sheets and in order to increase its clampingefficiency, a spring pressure plate 14 is provided for coaction with itstongue 18.

This plate is secured at itslower edge to the base 1 and extendsupwardly parallel with the guides '2 so as to be engaged by the freeedge of thetongue 13 in the upward and downward sliding movements of thefollower 3, and in all the positions of said follower. Thus it will beseen that while the follower may be tilted to reduce its frictional gripon the guide. rods, so as to adapt it to be easily and convenientlyadjusted upwardly and downwardly, the Weightof the follower, when notunder stress, will cause the tongue "13 to be -held in engagementwith-the plate 14, which will exert a spring pressure thereon, theresultingpressure of the plate causing the tongues 13"to bind on theguides whereby 'the follower will beheld at any point of'elevation alongthe length of the guidesQ In Figures '6 to-9, inclusive '1 have showntwo modified forms of followers which may be employed in connection withthe construction of base, guides and spring plates shown in Figures land 5. In Figures 6 and 7 the construction in general of the follower isthe same as that previously-describ.ed,except that the'tongues 13 aredispensed with and the follower is provided with {Ll-shaped reinforcingand guiding tions which engage the rods 2*, allowing openings 12 ofQarequired length to effect a direct friction-ail bind of the guideportion on the rods when the follower is tilted construction shown inFigures 8 and 9 the part 8 of the follower is devoid of both tongues 13and the tongue 13' and a continuous U-shaped reinforcing and guide stripis applied thereto, which is provided with the openings 12 and theintermediate portion of which is slitted and bent outward to form atongue 13 corresponding to and serving the purpose of tongue 13.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings,the construction and mode of use of my improved filing device will bereadily understood and it will be seen that the invention provides asimple and inexpensive type of construction of file device whichprovides for the quick and reliable clamping of the sheets also provides:a "fi'-le-=-device "which is exceedingly strong and durable and notliable ;to *be easily injured "or to getaouit of order;

:Hawingthus fully described my invention, I'claim I 1. A *fi'ling devicecomprising :a frame structure having guides, and ;a followerhaving-'openings tot receive said guides for slidably and tiltablyconnecting itwith the guides, and provided with resilient projecti'onsinclined in one direction and engagea'b'le with "the guides for allowingand limitingits tilting motion inone direction, and a resilientprojection inclined in .the.-opposite directien"for engagementiwith apart-of the frame for limitingits tilting motion in the oppositedirection.

2.,A i'il ing device comprising aframe structure'ha-vrng guides, andfollower ihaving openings'toreceive-said guidesfor slidably and tiltablyconnecting it with :the guides andprovided with a resilient :p'rojection engageable with a portion of the-frame structure for permittingfree sliding motion of the ffollowerwhile limiting itsiti-l ting-motionin one direction; I

' 3. .iA filing devicemompri-sing a frame structure having guides, and afollower having openings to receive said guides for slidably andtiltably connecting it with the guides and provided with a resilientprojection inclined to its plane and to a plane at right angles theretofor engagement with a part of the frame structure for limiting itstilting motion in one direction.

4. A filing device comprising a frame structure including guides, and afollower having a base portion provided with openings to receive saidguides for slidably and tiltably connecting it with the guides, saidbase portion being provided with resilient projections to engage theguides for permitting and limiting the tilting motion of the follower inone direction and provided with a resilient project-ion to engage aportion of Y the frame independent of the guides for limiting thetilting motion of the follower in the opposite direction.

5. A filing device comprising a frame structure including guides, and afollower slida'bly and tiltably engaging the guides and provided withresilient means for limiting its tilting motions, said follower havingspaced base and clamping portions lying in different parallel verticalplanes, an in clined connecting portion between its base and clampingportions, and a manipulating portion at its free end inclined in adirection reverse to the direction of inclination of said connectingportion.

6. In a filing device, a follower having a base portion apertured forslidable and tiltable engagement with guides of a frame, said baseportion having resilient members inclined to its plane in one directionfor engagement with the guide to permit and limit its tilting motion inone direction and having a resilient portion inclinedreversely to thefirst-named resilient portions for engagement with a part of the frameto limit its tilting motion in the reverse direction.

7. In a filing device, a follower formed of resilient metal and adaptedto be slidably and tiltably mounted on a guide, said follower havingbase and clamping portions lying in different-parallel vertical planes,an inclined connecting portion between the two, and a manipulatingportion at its end opposite-the base portion inclined at a reverseangleto the connecting portion. I

8. In a filing device, a frame structure including guides, and followersof resilient metal slidably and. tiltably engaging the guides, andprovided with means for resiliently limiting their tilting motion in atleast one direction, each follower comprismg base and clamping portionslying in different parallel planes, an inclined connecting' portionbetween said base and clamping portions, and a free-end portion inclinedin a reverse direction to the connectlngportlon, said followers beingarranged in reverse order on the guides so that their clamping portionslie closest to each other and their free end portions relativelydiverge.

9. A filing device comprising a base plate, I

mounted on said guides, and strips of soft material fitted in thechannels of the channeled end walls and projecting belowthe level of thebase plate to serve as supports. 10. In a filing device, a followerhaving a base portion apertured for slidable andtiltable engagement withguides, a clamping portion, an inclined connecting portion cbetween thebase and clamping portion, and a resilient projection on the baseportion ex tending at an angle thereto for engagement with a portion ofa frame on' which the follower, is mounted to limit the tilting mo tionof the follower in onedirection. In testimony whereof I afiix mysignature.

HENRY FREY.

